The invention concerns a flake ice machine having a cylindrical evaporating cylinder, a transmission or transmission motor with electric drive (electric motor) for the evaporating cylinder, a refrigerator, also driven electrically, which guides the cooling means through the evaporating cylinder, an evaporating pan, which can be filled with water, the evaporating cylinder disposed in the evaporating pan in a rotatable manner for wetting the evaporating cylinder with water, as well as means for removing (peeling off or flaking off) the flake ice from the circumference of the evaporating cylinder, and electric control means for the evaporating cylinder and refrigerator drives.
Flake ice machines of this type produce relatively thin flake ice for keeping food fresh, particularly in the meat industry.
A conventional flake ice machine of this kind (DE 41 08 911 A1, EP 535 498 A2) comprises an evaporating cylinder moistened by inserting one side thereof into an evaporating pan filled with water. The evaporating cylinder is turned and residual water freezes on the circumference of the evaporating cylinder. The ice layer thereby generated is removed from the circumference of the evaporating cylinder by a device disposed at the cylinder, before renewed dipping into the water. This is done either by peeling off or by flaking off the ice. The evaporating cylinder contains a cooling evaporator which is connected to a refrigerator disposed outside the cylinder. The refrigerator is preferably a compressor-driven machine. In any event, the refrigerator and the evaporating cylinder drive are controlled electrically via an electric control means. The filling time, the ice production and the water level in the evaporating pan are monitored by the control means to prevent damage to the flake ice machine due to defects in e.g. the evaporating cylinder or refrigerator drives or the water supply. Should the monitored quantities exceed or fall below the predetermined limiting values, the evaporating cylinder and the refrigerator drives are switched off. The control means comprises several sensors for monitoring. One sensor checks the thickness of the ice layer on the circumference and therefore the ice production. Another sensor detects the water level in the evaporating pan and an additional sensor monitors the filling time of the evaporating pan. Each sensor provides a measured value which has to be processed by the control means and compared with the predetermined limiting values. Disadvantageously, these conventional flake ice machines are demanding and expensive to manufacture due to the number of sensors and the corresponding control means.